 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello,
Hopefully someone who knows the area will be able to help - I'm wondering how suitable La Giettaz would be for a family with respect to accessing the rest of the ski area? This is for Feb half term and parents are competent skiers: this will be the kids' 5th trip. We are not averse to getting a lift down at the end of the day so LG looks ok in that respect. Is there much of a village there? Not that we venture out for apres-ski but it's nice to have some ski ambience to the area.
I see from the piste map that there's a blue (named after the Prince song, presumably) called Controversee which goes from the top of Le Torraz to Le Christomet. What's this like? Does it have a decent gradient to avoid poling?
Also - excuse me for this rookie question (this ski area has not been on my radar to date and my research thus far is limited) - but would I refer to this ski area as Combloux? Just trying to get a feel for the locale.
Thanks in advance for help!
Dave
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Paging hand wringer
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| jesus wrote: |
| .. avoid poling? |
Understandable considering... 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Also - excuse me for this rookie question (this ski area has not been on my radar to date and my research thus far is limited) - but would I refer to this ski area as Combloux?
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It's linked to Combloux, and on the Combloux lift pass, but there's a village called Combloux, in the Arly Valley (adjacent to Megeve). Not far as the crow flies, but a very different place. Lovely village, some good skiing too and beautiful views of Mont Blanc. Quite low, and a lot of the accommodation not particularly convenient for skiing. Doesn't hold its snow well (sunny side of the valley). La Giettaz, over the mountain, much better in that respect. But La G village is a few miles from the ski area. Combloux would be better for "ski ambience" and access to the rest of the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area but don't expect it (or any other French ski resort) to be quiet at half term, which is also French winter holidays. There's a snowhead called miranda who has a (terrific) catered chalet in La Giettaz and who knows everything there is to know about the area. Haven't seen her here for a while, but you could try a Private Message. If you stay at miranda's place they'll transport you to and from the lifts.
http://www.chalet-la-giettaz.com/ But looks a tad out of date.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thanks for the kind words Pam - this thread popped up on my google alert.
Yes, our website is out of date and the new one was supposed to be up and running at the beginning of the summer, which is a little frustrating as we've done all we can at our end!
The blue link to Combloux is fine - doesn't require poling as there are two short and gentle drags to deal with that.
The ski lift itself is in a hamlet called Le Plan, which is a 3km from the village of La Giettaz. There is plenty of accommodation at Le Plan if you want to be right at the lift. There are restaurants there too but to be honest I have no idea what the evening ambience is like as I'm always in the bar/restaruant at our place (which is neither in Le Plan nor the village)! The village has a very French bar - very friendly locals but not much English spoken, then there are a few restaurants. It's a really nice and pretty village but it is very small - lots more Brits staying in the area these days so you would meet other families probably. There is a ski bus from the village and surrounds to get to the area and although we offer a private service to our guests, the public ones are actually fine - not rammed and a short journey - and our guests sometimes use them even though they don't need to because they are easy and convenient. There is also plenty of free parking at the lift and many people drive.
As Pam says, the snow is better on the La Giettaz side as it is north facing, but Comboux itself is not actually that vulnerable - it's the Jaillet runs down into Megeve that are the lowest and south-facing so can get a bit ropey but there is a bubble to take you down that if the worst happens, but as you are looking to go in February I'd expect it to be fine... but then the mountain weather can always be unpredictable! You will find it noticeably quieter on the La Giettaz side.
Most of our guests are repeat guests who come every year, so that says something good about the area I think!
ps the ski area is called Les Portes du Mont Blanc and you can buy passes just for that, or ones to cover the whole Evasion Mont Blanc
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks @pam_w and @Miranda - very helpful replies. I will study the piste map tonight at length.
We stayed last year at St Jean de Sixt, skiing in le Grand Bornand and using the buses worked out really well. We may go back there but it's in my bones to try a different ski area each year!
I may be overruled though by the kids...
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You're welcome and do feel free to PM or ask more questions on this thread.
If you were interested in staying our place (it's not quite a catered chalet - it's a chalet of self-contained, self-catered apartments with meal/bar/spa service so you can pick and choose) then, for the first time in 7 years we do actually have some availability for half term as some of our regular kids become adults this year and the parents have delighted in booking with us outside of school holidays! But genuinely more than happy to answer any questions even if you decided you would like to visit La Giettaz but stay elsewhere.
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@jesus, I went to Combloux twice in feb and march 2016 (first time skiing in that area), first time was with mine and another family at half term, second time was with my business partner.
had lots of info from @pam w, when looking into the region
kids were 12 and 9 at the time, even though it was their first time skiing there were lots of runs that were accessible to them, both in Combloux/la giettaz, and over in Megeve. we went in feb half term and The lifts were not that busy, apart from first thing in the morning when ski school started, tended to drop the kids off then go for a coffee by ski school before heading up to the mountains, to let the queues die down.
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